Symptom Checklist K-9 (SCL-K-9) Test

Understand recent symptom severity across key mental health areas in about 2 minutes. Nine focused items deliver fast, reliable screening to guide next steps and track change over time.

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Questions: 92 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

12,393 views

1,451 completion

1,100 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

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How the Scales are Structured

example score

18/36

Psychopathological Symptom Severity (PSS)

Measures overall severity of recent psychopathological symptoms and general psychological distress.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 12: Low | 13 – 24: Moderate | 25 – 36: High

A score of 18 falls in the Moderate range, indicating a mid-level intensity of overall psychological distress in the recent period.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People tracking mental health

41%OF USERS

They want a quick snapshot of recent symptoms like anxiety, low mood, or physical stress signs to see if things are improving or worsening.

Therapy and psychiatry clients

34%OF USERS

They take it before or during treatment to help a clinician screen symptom severity and monitor changes over time.

Research and survey participants

25%OF USERS

They complete it as part of a study or large survey where a brief, standardized measure of psychological distress is needed.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

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Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

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Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

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Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Severity of Psychopathological Symptoms (SoPS)

Average

14.1

Normal range

7.8 — 20.4

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It screens recent psychological and physical symptoms commonly linked to distress. It provides a brief snapshot of current symptom severity across multiple domains.

What time period should responses cover?

Responses should reflect how often each symptom was experienced recently, as specified in the instructions. Use the same reference period for all items.

How should the response options be selected?

Select the option that best matches the frequency of the symptom during the reference period. If unsure, choose the closest option rather than leaving an item blank.

How long does it take to complete and how many items are included?

It contains 9 items and usually takes about 2 minutes to complete. It is designed for quick screening and repeated monitoring.

How should the results be interpreted?

Higher scores indicate greater overall symptom burden at the time of completion. Results support screening and follow-up decisions but do not establish a diagnosis by themselves.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Symptom Checklist K-9 (SCL-K-9) Test - Symptoms and Signs

depression phobias obsessiveness paranoia psychopathology schizotypy uneasiness

Psychopathology can present across a wide range of symptoms, and brief screening measures can help quantify current distress in clinical and research settings. The Symptom Checklist K-9 (SCL-K-9) is a short self-report symptom inventory derived from longer symptom checklist formats (Derogatis). It contains 9 items and typically requires about 2 minutes to complete.

Respondents rate the recent frequency or severity of common psychological and somatic symptoms to support rapid appraisal of overall symptom burden. The Symptom Checklist K-9 (SCL-K-9) is intended for screening and monitoring over time and should be interpreted in conjunction with clinical history, interview findings, and other assessment data rather than used as a standalone diagnostic tool.

Author: Leonard R. Derogatis

Literature: Foa, E. B., Keane, T. M., Friedman, M. J., & Cohen, J. A. Effective treatments for PTSD: Practice guidelines from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Guilford Press. 2009.; Derogatis, L. R. SCL-90-R: Administration, scoring and procedures manual. Clinical Psychometric Research. 1994.; Klaghofer, R., & Brähler, E. Konstruktion und teststatistische Prüfung einer Kurzform der SCL-90-R. Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie, Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie. 2001.

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